Water works

What is the best way of avoiding a war in the Middle East over the scarce
commodity, water? Israel took a giant step in that direction today by
opening the largest water desalination plant in the world at Ashkelon. In
fact this is the first of a series of such plants that will be built along
Israel's Mediterranean coast, there will be others at Ashdod and Hadera.
This plant depends on a process called reverse osmosis that was discovered
in the USA by two Jewish engineers and then developed in Israel. At this
point Israel leads the world in this technology, and many other countries
have either begun or are considering using this technology to satisfy their
water needs in arid lands. This makes a mockery of the so-called academic
boycott of Israel, because many countries will in future be forced to use
desalination to satisfy their growing water needs, and will require this
technology transfer from Israel, the world's leader. This will both earn
important income for Israel as well as benefit many other countries and
regions of the world.
The Eilat region has had water desalination for many years and is totally
independent of other sources. This plant at Ashkelon will go a long way to
solve Israel's water needs. Although it cost m$250, that is cheap when you
consider that that is the price of two F-15 jet fighters. Israel has also
signed an agreement with Turkey to import water in large balloons from a
river outlet on the south coast, so that Israel's water needs will be
largely taken care of for the future, even if there is a conventional
drought.
This is one area where Israel's technological and scientific capabilities,
which are perhaps second only to the USA, will highlight the need for other
countries to make peace and have regular diplomatic relations with Israel.
The fact that Qatar is considering this shows not only that they are
pragmatic and put their own interests first, but also that modern practical
needs trump old prejudices.
The Arabian Gulf region, including Qatar with its main city Doha and the
United Arab Emirates, including Abu Dhabi and Dubai, is undergoing
impressive growth, and they will need significant increases in their water
supplies in the near future if they are to sustain their development, and
become part of the world's economy. In order to do this Qatar has dropped
the age-old Islamic prohibition of keeping women uneducated and separate
from men at work as they are in Saudi Arabia and elsewhere in the Muslim
world. Qatar will also have to develop relations with other similar
developing economies. Let's hope that their declared intention to open
diplomatic relations with Israel will come to pass soon, rather than be held
hostage to the unrealistic aims of continuing to exclude Israel. It will be
in their own best interests.